


The Odd Ones Out

by Aikersen, WillGrammer



Category: Papillon (2018)
Genre: Discrimination, Falling In Love, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Prison
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-07-18 19:43:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16125407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aikersen/pseuds/Aikersen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/WillGrammer/pseuds/WillGrammer
Summary: The weight of the truth is a lot to carry. Henri Charriere and Louis Dega are going to learn that the hard way.or in which Henri and Louis learn to find love while they try to survive the French Guiana Prison.___THE ODD ONES OUT - A COLLABORATION BY WILLGRAMMER & AIKERSEN





	The Odd Ones Out

**Author's Note:**

> ghei

 

* * *

 

 

**French Guiana, 1933.**

 

Being perched in the corners everytime didn’t always have its perks.

 

Louis Dega wrapped his arms around himself in the dead of the night. Limbs already shaking from the constant exposure to the breeze that flowed, ever so gently, through the small prison window. He tried to hold himself tighter, finding no comfort in the clothes that he was wearing as he coldly stared out at the stone wall next to him.

 

A dozen of them would get sick sooner than later; having to face such weathers every night, then wake with sunrise only to work themselves half to death for a slice of bread and some water. It was no wonder so many had died already.

 

Turning around, he was met with Henri’s wide back.

 

Louis could smell the stench of his sweat. He could see the man’s shoulders moving and found comfort in it, because in the dead of the night, that’s how he knew that Papillon was still breathing. Because that’s how he knew the man was _still alive._

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he opened his mouth to speak but then closed it a moment later, deciding to keep it quiet between them.

 

It was nice to hold someone again. It reminded him of the nights when he returned home to find his wife sound asleep, carefully getting in bed and wrapping his arms around her; holding her. The same heat was coming of Papillon’s body, and although the man was clearly not his wife, Dega was very grateful for his presence.

 

He sighed quietly into the blond’s back, falling asleep soon after.

 

* * *

 

_Nenette._

 

She would smile at him, fingers stretched out, lips against his cheek. He could feel her body heat from here, between the close proximity that they shared, and the power forced his stomach to flutter in its wake. Everything was alright now, everything had just been one big dream. Everything had just been one big _lie._

 

“Nenette.” Whispered Henri softly, breath ghosting over her face underneath red neon lights.

 

And she came even closer, her nails digging in, eyes growing wide. No, this wasn't right. There was something that he wasn't seeing. She pushed her hand through golden strands of hair and placed her devilish lips against the shell of his ear, whispering back to him;

 

“You’ve made me sad, Papi.”

 

Something was amiss.

 

He bolted awake in the warming rays of the sun with sweat cascading from his forehead, and forced himself to inhale, to breathe. His clammy hands clenched into his prison shirt while he stuttered onto his back, breath still hitching from the unpleasant dream.

 

Something was trapping him.

 

“...”

 

Papillon looked down, then, eyes taking in two arms that were locked around his waist like he was supposed to be the life line of them. And with it followed a frown. Because there he laid, Louis Dega, two arms wrapped around his body while the whole room snickered on.

 

He forcefully grabbed the man's arms from his waist and cast them back to the sleeping form.

 

“Dega! Wh- wake up, now!” He demanded, blood already pooling in his neck.

 

Louis could feel his arms being pushed away with such force that it caused him to shake awake from his slumber. He woke with a pained gasp emitted from his lungs, his head dizzy. Papillon had shoved him with such power that it had thrown his skull against the wall. And he could feel the shock from it take him over as he wheezed.

 

The sound of his name being called by the blonde alerted him to open his eyes, only to regret it when he had done it too quickly.

 

The sunlight was too bright, and he groaned, sweat trickling down his neck when he brought his shaky hands to his face and rubbed his eyes, blinking before he became aware to the chatting around them.

 

He grabbed his glasses from under his pillow and wore them, adjusting them to his nose. And his entire body still shook from the way he was awoken from his slumber.

 

But despite for the grogginess in his vision, he knew what Papillon seemed to be so angry over.

 

“I'm sorry,” he told him, trying to block off the other inmates’ comments, keeping his eyes on the tall blonde. Shame washed over him, _like it should._

 

_What more could he say after holding the man through the night, for using him to his own advantage, even if it was the simple act of keeping himself warm?_

 

“I was cold, but… I shouldn't have… I won't do it again,” His eyes looked everywhere but at Papillon.

 

“I'm sorry, truly. I wasn't thinking. I was being selfish,” he apologized again, swallowing a gulp down his throat.

 

But the apologies went by unheard, and Henri only managed to stare, body still shackled to their bunk. He stayed quiet. And often the silence could be deafening.

 

Louis knew when to quit, so he did, allowing his boney arms to fall to each side of his body as he silenced, his lips dry and his stomach lurching with regret.

 

He moved a moment later, as far as he could from Papillon, wanting to distance himself from him, embarrassment clear on his face while other inmates called him out on his behavior.

 

“What’s the matter pretty boy? Trouble in paradise?”

 

He bit down on his lip, looking at the wall, bringing a hand to cover his face, shivering, sweat still trickling down his forehead.

 

“If Papi is treating you bad you can always come to me, I'll take good care of you!”

 

Louis sucked in a heavy breath, his blue eyes wide in shock at the words that were shot at him. His ears rang with the echoes of the inmates’ voices still loud and clear in his head, and he swallowed thickly, keeping his head low.

 

But Henri was still there. And even if Louis was putting them both in a risky situation, he could see the cold sweat that trickled down the man’s chest, how he stayed silent, lips sewn together. And a quiet rage bubbled in Papillon’s mind.

 

_How dare they._

 

He reached out for Dega, and gave him a pat on the back. It felt like that was all he could offer him right now.

 

But he was sure that they would overcome this. Because they were still in it together.

 

Together.

 

ACT 1


End file.
